By IANS,
Kolkata : Taking suo moto cognisance of the obscene comments made by CPI-M legislator Anisur Rahman against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the State Human Rights Commission Friday directed the director general of police (DGP) to submit a report.
“We have taken suo moto cognisance of his speech and sought a report. What he (Rahman) said about the chief minister prima facie constitutes violation of human rights,” panel chief Justice (retd) Ashok Kumar Ganguly told mediapersons.
DGP Naparajit Mukherjee has been asked to submit the report in three weeks.
“Every person has got dignity, self-respect. The comments have been made about the chief minister. It is a serious matter,” said Ganguly.
The former Supreme Court judge said he had read in the newspapers about the apology tendered by Rahman.
“But the comments are very serious. We have to look into the matter where somebody has made such serious comments and then apologised.
“After all, he is a former minister, and a present MLA. We have to look into the matter,” he said.
Addressing a meeting of Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) peasants wing in North Dinajpur district Dec 25, Rahman ridiculed the Banerjee government’s decision to compensate victims of crimes such as rape and trafficking.
“We have told the chief minister in the assembly that the government will pay money to compensate rape victims. What is your fee? If you are raped, what will be your fee,” said Rahman.
“As an opposition leader, she took along Champala Sardar from South 24-Parganas district to the state secretariat, claiming she was raped.”
“We then told her: ‘Don’t bring such ‘hela fela meye’ (girls without any position in society). Bring some good girls.”
“And there can be no better girl than you. You can say you have been raped. We ask: ‘Didi moni’ (elder sister), what is your fee? How much will you take for getting raped’,” he said.
Rahman’s comments have been condemned by his party, the opposition, civil society and commoners.
Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has already submitted a breach of privilege notice to the assembly speaker, and threatened to take legal action against Rahman.